5 winners (and 2 losers) from Commanders' triumph vs. Panthers in Week 7
By Dean Jones
Loser No. 1
Luke McCaffrey - Commanders WR
Fans are still waiting for Luke McCaffrey's breakout game. The Washington Commanders have a lot of mouths to feed offensively. It's clear the No. 100 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft is pretty far down the pecking order for targets despite getting plenty of playing time.
This was the case once again in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers. McCaffrey ran some sharp routes once again and assisted from a blocking capacity. Unfortunately for the Rice product, he didn't get a single target from veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Perhaps this was a chemistry issue. Mariota missed a lot of training camp, so the timing with McCaffrey was probably not where it needed to be. If the signal-caller is forced to start next weekend versus the Chicago Bears, this needs to be rectified as a matter of urgency.
McCaffrey is going to be just fine. This was always going to be a steep learning curve for the player, especially considering he got just two years at the wide receiver spot in college. Expect his targets to increase over the second half of 2024, because he's getting open consistently.
Winner No. 2
Dante Fowler Jr. - Commanders OLB
The Commanders needed others to step up and become impactful without defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and edge rusher Dorance Armstrong Jr. Both players were key contributors throughout Washington's remarkable start. Many thought their absence would lead to some serious defensive issues versus a Panthers offense that can generate yards if given enough space.
That didn't happen thanks in no small part to an improved defensive effort overall. Dante Fowler Jr. was a constant menace coming off the edge. He also got things off to the best possible start with a pick-six on the opening drive that shook Northwest Stadium to its foundations.
This was the confidence boost Fowler needed. He also helped himself to a sack, another pass breakup, and a tackle for loss. The free-agent signing has the complete trust of head coach Dan Quinn. Looking at his performances over the last three weeks, it's not hard to see why.
Generating pressure is something the Commanders failed to accomplish after trading Montez Sweat and Chase Young before the 2023 deadline. Things have progressed on this front in recent weeks. Fowler's emergence is a big reason why.